I had to part with my Bible recently to have the outside cover replaced and the inside repaired. It was falling apart after years of gentle wear and tear. The cover had completely separated from the spine, and the pages were loose. Over time, it had become more difficult to hold it together. When my Bible was sent to the bindery, I wasn’t sure how long it would take to repair, when it would be returned, and wondered if I would even recognize it when it looked all shiny and new.

Being without it left such a void in my life. Although I have other Bibles that I used during that time, they just weren’t like my old
one that had become an inseparable and intricate part of my life.

It was like saying goodbye to a beloved, intimate friend that I’d grown so comfortable with over the years. A friend that would shower me with unconditional love and joy, speak truth into my life, and give me encouragement when I needed it. A friend that I trusted with all my heart, and would be there for me when times were tough. A friend who was a lifeline of hope and gave promises of good things to come. The pages of her life had been a model for all I wanted to be. My Bible had become over the years, my beloved, intimate friend.

The days slipped by, and then the weeks came and went, until it was repaired, restored and whole again. At last– it was ready! I could hardly wait…

When I first saw it, it looked so unfamiliar. When I first held it, it felt so stiff in all its newness. I felt like I had to get reacquainted with an old friend that I hadn’t seen in a long time. Would we bond together as before? Would we pick up where we left off and resume the rhythm of our friendship?

Then as I opened my Bible, the pages once again wrapped around my heart. The scripture – underlined from years of use, notes in the side columns used in teaching, dates written by verses that marked milestones in my life – embraced me like an old friend. The familiar words comforted me again with God’s love. As I turned the pages, I felt joy within, the power of encouragement, the impact of truth, and hope that permeated my mind and emotions. Hello, old friend…

God’s word withstands the changes that occur around us. Life can fall apart, we can be worn out, feel like we’re coming unglued, or even useless to anyone. It’s what’s inside us, written on the pages of our heart, that will sustain us in the wear and tear of life. Don’t wait until the years go by, and you become older, make God’s word an inseparable and intricate part of your life now. Welcome an old friend…